Married to you ✔

9• The third round

The third round began and this time I wasn't in a mood to leave him.

We both dipped our hand in the milk and this time instead of finding the ring I dug my nails into his hands. I could hear a soft wail escape his lips. He looked at me and I gave him my innocent smile as I dug my nails harder into his skin.

Soon he caught hold of my hand and squeezed it. But I wasn't giving up so easily. Though it hurt but I didn't pull out my hand instead I pinched his hand.

Others were cheering for us to find the ring but the ring was a long forgotten business for both of us. We were busy damaging each others hand.

Five minutes passed by and still we both weren't done with damaging our hands.
"Did the milk eat up the ring?" Cabir spoke out, looking keenly at the milk bowl.

"I guess it did." Mukti said.

"Or is it that instead of finding the rings both are busy doing something else." Alya suspected, seeing me and Manik glaring at each other. But we didn't care about what was going around, we both were struggling for dominance. Right then,

Thud!

The milk bowl turned upside down and all the milk split over. I could hear few people gasp.

This shouldn't have happened. Now how will we decide the winner?

"I was just about to win." Monster Malhotra whispered, glaring at me.

"You weren't even close to winning." I whispered back and pinched his hand. He wailed, gaining the attention of Cabir. Manik looked at him and smiled.

"This shouldn't have happened. It's a sign of bad omen." One lady, about my grandmother's age said.

I could hear few people's hushed whispers. "I guess Nyonika's choice isn't that good. She got a bad omen in form of her daughter-in-law." Like seriously!

I wanted to get up and back answer them but Manik held my hand. I looked at him and he blinked his eyes, telling me calm down. "If you act rashly right now, you will only be blamed." He whispered and in a way he did make sense.

But the catcalls of the people was making my blood boil. I fisted my fist in anger. Right then I felt a finger trace my knuckles. I looked at my hand to see Manik doing that.

He traced my knuckles softly, creating jittery feelings within me. Then he slowly intertwined our hands and played with my fingers. I realized he was doing this to distract me and he was succeeding.

I was speechless. I really wanted to cry but I held back my tears.

"Manik Nandini you have to go to our traditional temple tomorrow morning and perform the puja to avoid this." That grandmother spoke and we both just nodded our head. I blinked my eyes a few times, trying to blink away my tears.

Why was my heart feeling so heavy? It wasn't just because of the catcalls of people, was it? Or was it because the action of Manik reminded me of someone, someone who used to be dear to me.

After performing a few more rituals, with a heavy heart, I headed towards our room. Tear drops flowed down my eyes, even after my several trials to hold them back.

"It's all because of you." I heard Manik's voice as he entered the room. I immediately turned around and wiped my tears but the tears just wouldn't stop.

"Nandini." I felt his hand grasp on my shoulder. He turned me around, looked at me. I cried harder, not being able to hold it back.

Manik took me in his embrace and held me tightly. "Sssshhh." He patted my back and rubbed it slowly. I fisted his shirt in my hand and cried, burying my head in his chest. Being in his embrace, somehow gave me warmth and I wanted to let it all out.

"Hey don't cry. This will spoil your makeup and you might look like a ghost. I don't want my wife to look like that." He patted my head softly as he said so. This made me smile in between my tears.

"I don't wear makeups." I said, hiccupping a bit as I hit his chest softly.

"Ouch that hurts." He said, dramatically, making me chuckle a bit. "See you even spoiled my shirt." He complained, like a child, making a bad face. I couldn't help but smile wider.

"You deserve it." I said as I wiped my tears and looked at him. He isn't that bad after all.

That was only when I realized our position. His arms were wrapped around my naked waist and as the realization dawned upon me and I got goosebumps.

Without thinking much I got out of his hold and went to the washroom to wash my face. I looked at myself in the mirror. Do I really look like a ghost?

I shook my head. What was I thinking? I washed my face and I was just done with wiping my face when my phone buzzed.

I took out my phone and checked the notification. "Cabir_Dhawan just mentioned you in his story.

I opened the notification and checked his story.

I face palmed myself after seeing his story. He seriously posted the picture. 

I got out of the washroom, only to see Manik staring at his phone screen. " It's all because of you." He blamed me, looking at me. He is back to his monster avatar.

"Oh please it wasn't completely my fault."

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't." I contradicted.

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't." Our yes and no continued for don't know how long. Before I got irritated and walked out of the room.

"Just go to hell." I shouted, banging the door behind me.

For a moment I feel he isn't that bad but he again proves me wrong. After all he is a monster.

Pagphera rasam and reception yet to go. How will I bear this monster the whole day?
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